“In a safe performance," Wroe said, "when the musicians are trying to keep it as controlled as possible, emotional intensity is compromised, I believe, and the audience does feel that.”

Musicians who make their money playing in professional orchestras in and around New York City are having a hard time making ends meet. Side jobs are drying up for Broadway musicians and substitute jobs have become harder to find.

“It has forced me into a part-time, hand-to-mouth existence,” Gabriel Schaff, a violinist, told The New York Times.

Small orchestras in the suburbs that use professionals have also had to tighten their belts.

Community orchestras in Long Island, New Jersey and Westchester often perform at local parks on the weekends throughout the summer. The orchestras are typically made up of amateurs who work for little to no compensation. However, they often employ paid "ringers" to fill out certain sections of the orchestra. The harsh economic climate may force them to cut back on the hiring of professionals, or worse, cancel shows.